(5 Best Cheap Puppy Foods, Best Cheap Puppy Foods,5 Best Puppy Foods )
First of all, congratulations! Bringing a puppy into your family is a fantastic thing, but you probably already understand that. If not before, your puppy will become your best friend and your most faithful companion.
This type of distinctive present needs to be maintained and secured where you enter!
Not only is your pet your best friend, but they are also your obligation. You are his caregiver and it’s up to you to make sure he stays happy and healthy. However, where to start?
Start by stocking up on the best puppy food you can ensure your puppies’ nutritional needs are met. After all, a healthy puppy is a happy dog and you just want the best for the canine companion, right?
However, where do you start looking for the best dog food and how can you choose just one?
This is where we come from!
We were here to guide you through the process of choosing high-quality puppy food for your pet and to answer any questions you may have about feeding your pet.
Let’s start!
The 5 Best Puppy Foods Reviewed
The dog foods that we have listed here meet the standard AAFCO nutrient profile guidelines for dogs. Please make sure, you have consulted with your veterinarian before making any kind of changes to your dog’s food diet.
1. Royal Canin Puppy Mini
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Chicken |
| Target Species | Dog |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | Puppy |
Reasons to suggest –
- These Royal Canin kibbles for puppies and small breed dogs are highly digestible. They are therefore ideal for puppies from 1 to 10 kg (or 2 to 10 months) who are growing and more or less sensitive in terms of food.
- These puppy croquettes also promote their dental hygiene thanks to a formula enriched with calcium which prevents tartar deposits.
- They stimulate bone growth due to their high protein and calcium content. Well-positioned on the budget side, they finally offer good value for money.
2. Purina ONE Puppy Food
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Chicken |
| Target Species | Dog |
| Item Form | Blended, Kibble, Crunchy, Morsels |
| Breed Recommendation | All Breed Sizes |
Reasons to suggest –
- Purina ONE SmartBlend Puppy Premium Dog Food is our best overall choice because it is made from quality ingredients.
- It is high in protein and the number one ingredient is chicken. It has easily digestible oatmeal and rice for the sensitive stomach of puppies.
- Contains DHA, which will support your puppy’s vision and brain development. It also has a double defense antioxidant blend to support your pup’s immune system.
- There are no fillers in this food and it is recommended by the vet.
- In some sensitive puppies, this formula could cause digestive problems. Make sure you start with a small amount of food to test your puppy’s tolerance.
3. Wellness Complete Health Puppy Food
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Chicken, Salmon |
| Target Species | Dog |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | All Breed Sizes |
Reasons to suggest –
- If you’re looking for a kibble that will give your little pup the building blocks he needs to grow healthy and strong, Wellness Complete Health is a great base.
- There’s a high amount of chicken here, which means there’s a high amount of protein (29%, to be exact).
- The first two ingredients are lean chicken and chicken meal, which ensures that your pup will get a well-balanced nutritional profile from this food.
- Chicken fat isn’t low on the list either; it comes with ingredients like a salmon meal, salmon oil, and ground flaxseed.
- All of these foods are high in omega fatty acids, which are essential for immune support and brain and eye development.
- The formula should also be gentle on your dog’s young belly, as it’s full of ingredients like oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and barley.
- These are easy for dogs to digest, and the company has added chicory root extract to keep your pup regular too.
- If we had to quibble about anything in this food, it’s the high salt content. However, puppies can tolerate sodium better than older dogs, so it’s not a big deal; just make sure your pup is drinking enough water.
4. Iams ProActive Puppy Food
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Chicken |
| Target Species | Dog |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | Small Breeds |
Reasons to suggest –
- One thing you need to understand from the start is that a budget dog food won’t have the same quality of ingredients as a high-end option, and Iams ProActive is no exception.
- It contains questionable ingredients, like chicken by-products and whole-grain corn. However, it compensates for these by having high levels of protein, fat, and fiber, so your dog should have all the nutritional support he needs.
- There are also high-quality ingredients, like carrots, fish oil, and chicken fat. You’ll also see important minerals, like biotin, vitamin E, and niacin, listed on the label.
- The kibble pieces are small enough that your pup can easily put their mouth around them, with little risk of choking.
5. Holistic Select Natural Grain Free
Product Detail –
| Flavor | Grain-Free Small & Mini Breed Adult |
| Target Species | Dog |
| Item Form | Dry |
| Breed Recommendation | All Breed Sizes |
Reasons to suggest –
- You may not want to smell your pup’s breath after eating Holistic Select, as the first ingredient is anchovy and sardine meal, but a little dog’s breath is worth putting up with for food. as high quality as this.
- It has a ton of protein and fat — 30% and 20%, respectively — and it gets those nutrients from premium foods
- There’s also a ton of omega fatty acids in this food, thanks to the flaxseeds, salmon oil, and chicken fat in the recipe.
- Holistic has also added probiotics to the formula, which should ensure your dog stays regular. The fiber levels aren’t as high as we’d like, but what’s inside comes from quality foods .
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Buyer’s guide
Unless you’ve spent a lot of time researching dog food ingredients and comparing labels, it can be incredibly difficult to tell a high-quality food from a dud. Luckily, in the guide below, we’ll show you what to look for when choosing kibble for your little pup.
When and how often should I feed my puppy?
This short video explains how to create the best feeding schedule for your puppy.
Does a toy breed dog have different nutritional needs than other dogs?
Yes and no. At a basic level, all dogs need the same vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to grow strong and healthy. A very small dog needs the same things in his diet as a giant pooch.
However, toy breeds have different issues to deal with than other dogs. For one thing, a little food goes a long way with them, making them prone to obesity. Since obesity is so horrible for dogs, you have to be incredibly strict with your portion control and try not to overfeed your dog kibble.
However, your toy pup still needs a high amount of calories – in fact, he needs more than larger dogs because he loses more body heat. Don’t overdo it and quickly reduce portion sizes if you notice your dog getting a little plump.
Additionally, many small dogs are prone to different illnesses than large dogs, so you may need to find a food that has the right mix of nutrients for the issues your pup is predisposed to. For example, hip dysplasia is not as severe in toy breeds as it is in larger animals; on the other hand, small dogs are often prone to eye problems, so omega fatty acids become even more important.
Another thing to keep in mind is the size of the kibble. Unless the kibble is specifically made for toy breeds, the pieces may be too large for your dog to pick up and chew comfortably. Huge pieces of kibble can also pose a choking hazard.
Does a Puppy have different nutritional needs than other dogs?
Yes. Again, they need the same nutrients, but puppies need more.
Puppies need all those calories to support their growing bodies – just be sure to cut them down on a high-calorie diet once they reach adulthood. They also need more fat and protein to grow strong and healthy.
In fact, you’ll probably need to feed your puppy more often than an adult dog. For the first 12 weeks, you can feed your puppy four times a day, then reduce it to three until he reaches adulthood.
There are certain nutrients that puppies need in large amounts that adult dogs don’t; as a result, most adult kibbles lack the right amount of these vitamins and minerals. That’s why you should always feed your dog age-appropriate food.
Remember that your dog’s brain and other organs are developing rapidly, so you need to give him all the nutritional support you can. In addition to important vitamins and minerals, make sure your dog is getting plenty of omega fatty acids; these can be found in fish, flaxseed oil, and chicken meal.
If you don’t give your puppy the nutrition he needs, he could suffer from all sorts of health problems as an adult. Conversely, if you set the stage for healthy living while they’re young, you could save yourself a bunch of medical bills down the road.
What to look for in a kibble?
The most important thing puppies need is protein and lots of it. This means that the first ingredient in food should be lean meat – chicken, fish, and turkey are all excellent choices. You also want to make sure that overall protein levels are high – 25% should be the bare minimum.
Don’t overlook fat or fiber levels either. You want to see 15% or more total fat and at least 5% fiber. Omega fatty acids are also essential, so look for fish, fish oil, flaxseed oil, or any kind of animal meal.
Fruits and vegetables are also good to see on the ingredient list. As a general rule, if you know it’s healthy for you, it’s likely to be healthy for your dog as well. Look for things like broccoli, kale, blueberries, spinach, cranberries, etc.
Is there anything you don’t want to see on the label?
Yes. Beware of cheap fillers like corn, wheat, or soy. These bring little to the table in terms of nutrition and are full of empty calories. Foods high in them will likely make your dog fat without doing much to help them grow into healthy adults.
Animal by-products are made using the cheapest, cheapest meat possible. It’s not something you would dream of feeding your dog if you saw it, so why would you give it a kibble that uses it?
Also, beware of artificial colors and flavors. There’s no reason for these to be in dog food; in fact, they are put there for you, the owner. The idea is that if the dog food sounds more appealing to you, you’ll be more likely to buy it for your dog. Ultimately, however, these are just unnecessary chemicals you put in your pup – and they can cause all sorts of digestive issues.
Should you also feed your dog wet food?
You can but it is not necessary. A good dry kibble should contain everything your pup needs to grow healthy and strong.
Wet food does offer a few benefits, however. For one thing, it’s full of moisture, so it can help stave off dehydration if your little pup forgets to drink water throughout the day.
Plus, it’s extremely gentle on a dog’s teeth. This becomes more important with older dogs who may have dental issues. Growing puppies need the crunch that dry kibble provides to have strong teeth. There’s nothing wrong with mixing wet food with this kibble, though.
Wet food is also good for picky eaters. If you go to the trouble of researching and buying the best puppy food on the market, the last thing you want is for your pup to refuse to eat it. If this happens, mixing in some wet food will likely change their minds.
There are downsides to wet food, however. It is extremely caloric, so it can fatten your dog. It is also extremely expensive and can go bad in hours if not properly stored.
What if the food I buy is not suitable for my dog?
Choosing a kibble is not an exact science. There’s no guarantee your dog will eat it or be okay with his system if he does.
There may be some trial and error involved here. It may take a few tries to find an option your dog will eat and tolerate, so be patient.
Luckily, toy breeds don’t eat much and you can buy small bags of kibble, so you shouldn’t waste too much money finding what’s best for your pup. Just be careful when transitioning to new food; mix it with the old food first, then slowly reduce the amount of old food you give them.
If your dog does not tolerate any of the food you bring home, then a visit to the vet is in order. They could be suffering from a disease or a parasite, and you may need medical intervention.
Conclusion
Packed with chicken and important omega fatty acids, Wellness Complete Health is our favorite kibble for toy breed puppies because it truly lives up to its name.
For a more cost-effective alternative, consider Iams ProActive. It’s easy on the wallet, but nonetheless has a variety of important ingredients in every bite.
Choosing a kibble for your toy breed pup is not an easy thing to do, and we hope our reviews have made the process easier. However, don’t worry too much about the decision – as long as you feed your dog regularly and in moderation and give him plenty of TLC, he will do better than most animals on the planet.
